Into the tiger's den
by Ishmael1
Summary: Ryu accidentally confronts an old rival.


He found it foolish that the shift in temperatures still bothered him. After years of constant movement local time zones meant little to him now. Unless he was going to be staying in an area for an extended period he only bothered to make sure he would be rested enough to be able to compete at the next tournament. The radical change in climates, however, was something that still affected him more than he liked. Only yesterday he had still been in the cold, high-altitude region where he had spent the past month training. The sharp, stinging mountain air had sharpened him until his body was constantly tensed and focused. Or it had been until his trip. The switch from a mountain range in the middle of winter to a tropical island after spending a day in the stale, lifeless air of a passenger jet left had his body feeling dislocated. He knew that being so easily influenced by outside sources was a failing on his part. At some point he would have to learn the techniques of others who could either consciously put aside the distraction or who could seemingly ignore such an incredible shift in the world around them. It was yet one more thing he would have to master but everything in the life Ryu had chosen for himself was a constant challenge.

The all-too brief rain clouds from that morning had burnt off, creating a day that was far too hot and humid for Ryu's liking. The unending sprawl of cement and steel in the city amplified everything that he disliked about the day. Perhaps a century ago this day would have been bearable when the city was little more than a small village surrounded by vegetation. But now the diluting effects of nature were long gone; the only grass and palm trees in sight were either far out of the city limits or were stamped onto billboards and fliers for tourists. Even the fighting ring could not be placed in a more scenic setting and was instead propped up in the middle of a parking lot.

Some fighters made it a pre-fight ritual to carefully inspect every arena they would eventually do battle in. With as many unusual locations as he had fought in over the years Ryu rarely found he had that luxury. So when he did have the chance to visit a ring beforehand it was more out of a sense of curiosity and to keep his mind focused on the upcoming fight than any sort of superstition or advance planning. The location itself certainly didn't warrant any special attention. The tournament was to take place in an old boxing ring that was currently bleaching out in the afternoon sun. Pushcart vendors and makeshift restaurants that operated out of the sides of trucks had already perched out territory around the ring in anticipation of the spectators to come. But outside of a few passers-by who paused to look at the banners that promoted the upcoming bouts the lot was empty. The lack of energy surrounding the ring was disconcerting. Instead of feeling like a showcase in which people would test their abilities to the limit the cement square felt no more important than it would have if it was still being used to park storage trucks. Ryu knew that he was letting his frustrations get the best of him but he still found himself looking forward to being able to move on as soon as the tournament was over.

As Ryu strode away from the parking lot he realized another reason he might be feeling so negative was because he had not eaten recently. Ryu normally cooked for himself but the hostel he was staying at didn't have the facilities for even doing something as simple as boiling water. Even though the buildings around the tournament sight were crammed with hostess bars, strip clubs and other less than respectable businesses there were also a number of restaurants as well. Figuring that a good meal might distract him enough to make him stop dwelling on such ridiculous feelings before a match, Ryu decided to stop and eat at the Korean restaurant he was passing.

The moment he stepped through the door Ryu realized he had made a mistake. The only customers present were a raucous crowd sitting at a long table. Most all of them were large, aggressive men who were undoubtedly in town for the tournament. Their jokes and conversation was so animated that they could barely stay in their seats while they talked. But no matter how loud and rowdy the men were their party seemed muted because of the silent man at the head of the table. While the others in crowd were loudly bickering over a steaming pot of meat he quietly ate his meal and ignored his dining companions. Instead of welcoming him, the restaurant's hostess eyed Ryu nervously. Not only was the pack of men unsettling, but she seemed worried that Ryu might join them or cause some other form of trouble. While Ryu could sympathize with the poor woman there was no way he could turn around and leave now that the diners, especially the man at the head of the table, had seen him.

"What do we have here?" One of the men at the table yelled. "Check it out; somebody else is here to eat."

"Hey buddy," a second man yelled, "you here for lunch?"

The conversation at the table died as the crowd turned to look at the newest diversion. The attention of everyone was now focused on Ryu. Knowing that he couldn't back down without making things worse, Ryu walked into the restaurant until he was standing at the edge of the table.

"Yeah, you here to eat or are you here to fight?" the first man said. Ryu was now close enough to him that he could see the tattoo on his shoulder of a cracked skull embedded in a pair of wings.

"So are you in town for the action tomorrow? You here to show everybody what a badass you are?" When Ryu went out before a tournament he didn't wear his ubiquitous gi and headband. It not only kept him from being bothered by fanatics who enjoyed blood sports but it made it less likely that over-eager fighters would try and challenge him before the matches started. But Ryu's attempts at anonymity didn't mean anything if someone was looking for trouble. Even though the men who were taunting him didn't recognize him they would have been just as aggressive if he was simply another Japanese tourist. While Ryu knew the two men were trying to goad him into a fight their jibes barely registered. All his attention was focused on the man sitting silently at the head of the table.

"What, you think you're too good to talk to us?" Deciding that he wasn't going to be able to incite Ryu with words the first man moved to a more direct approach. "You think you can get away with that?" he said as he pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Sit down." The man at the head of the table finally broke his silence. When he spoke it wasn't a shout or a command but instead was a low rumble full of power. The pack of ruffians at the table froze at the sound. "You are nowhere near his match. Only another warrior could stand against him. Isn't that right, Ryu?"

"It is good to see you again Sagat."

While there was still the sense of tension that was present when confronting Sagat it took a moment for Ryu to place what was different. It was the first time that Ryu had ever seen Sagat outside of the ring. The god of Muai Thai was still immense even when seated but his overwhelming presence was stunted by his surroundings. The bowl of rice he was eating from looked like a child's toy in his enormous hand while the chopsticks looked puny between his thick fingers. Sagat's massive frame dwarfed the table but was slightly pathetic because of it. The long limbs that had allowed Sagat to win so many bouts were now cramped and folded into a seat that was designed to hold a much smaller person. When in battle Ryu had always been impressed with the strength and power that came naturally to Sagat. But it wasn't until now that Ryu understood that not only was Sagat born with a body that was built for combat it was a body built only for combat.

"Good to see me again? Is it?" Sagat snorted.

"I was worried that this tournament was going to be a waste of my time," Ryu replied.

"Yes, with your limited income you must have to pick your fights carefully."

It was an honest statement. Even the sparse life that Ryu led required some expenses. With the uncertainty of tournament prize money and the small amount that could be earned doing occasional manual labor, money was always a nagging concern for Ryu. The cost of something like an airplane ticket had to be carefully considered. But to hear it openly stated, especially by a man who had once angrily declared he would kill him, bothered Ryu more than he had expected.

"Like I said, I was worried about the level of competition. But if both you and your friends," Ryu nodded to the thug at the table who was still standing, "are showing an interest in this tournament then there must be some fighters here who are worth the trouble."

"Hrmph, Shadaloo means nothing to me. Don't judge me by the sycophants and children that follow in my wake."

If the men at the table felt insulted by Sagat's words they didn't show it. Instead, all of them were quiet and too scared to move. What had been a fun way to pass the time had suddenly turned into a tense standoff between one of the Four Kings of Shadaloo and a man Sagat seemed to regard as an equal with them trapped in the crossfire.

"Still, here you are. But since we are on that subject, why are you with Shadaloo? It doesn't look right for one of the heroes of Thailand to be working for anyone, much less the group you are with now." Ryu knew he shouldn't be needling Sagat like this but it was something he was genuinely curious about. Since this was the longest he had ever spoken to Sagat without either of them throwing a punch Ryu thought he would take the opportunity to ask the question.

"I am not a lackey of Shadaloo. Rather, I consider myself to be in training. Very dangerous, but, hopefully, very rewarding training."

Although Sagat spoke calmly his body was on edge. While he spoke Sagat placed the rice and chopsticks back on the table so his hands could be free. To a casual observer it would have looked like a simple, somewhat threatening move. Underneath, however, Ryu noticed a practiced, measured movement to Sagat's actions. Long years of having to deal with a missing eye and torn body had forced Sagat to re-learn even the most basic of tasks. The scars that Sagat wore as trophies in combat were now seen as the permanent, crippling injuries they were. Part of Ryu wondered if the scar he had accidentally ripped into Sagat's chest gave him trouble but he quickly pushed the distracting thought aside. The intensity of Sagat was far too much to deal with using anything less than his full attention. Although they hadn't exchanged blows they were already engaged in battle.

"Every fighter has to overcome the violence of the world that we exist in. It is the ironic fate of those whose sense of peace and purpose in life can only be found through the brutality of combat. We must take any knowledge and skill from where we can while keeping ourselves from being swallowed up by the surrounding chaos. What we live for can also easily be our death as well. Only by keeping on that thin line can we survive and perhaps succeed. That is what I try to gain from every fight and that is what I hope to gain from Shadaloo."

"That... was very well said."

"I have had plenty of practice justifying my actions to myself." Sagat's face became set in a serious smile. "But in the end I simply like to fight, however and whenever I can."

Both fighters waited for the other to make the inevitable next move. Although Sagat had not made any threatening acts there was the sense that the formalities of polite conversation were over. Ryu realized the idea of the two of them being able to talk through their problems like normal people was absurd. There was only one way of communicating that he and Sagat both understood. Ryu repeatedly clenched his fists together in anticipation of what was to come as his pulse rate soared.

All that ended when an arm wrapped around Ryu's neck.

In an instant Ryu realized that his preoccupation with Sagat had caused him to become so unaware of his surroundings that he had not noticed the empty seat at the table or the return of the missing Shadaloo thug who was now trying to squeeze the life out of him. Although he now understood his mistakes it wasn't going to help him free himself from what had quickly turned into a very dangerous situation. The Shadaloo agent who had been pointlessly standing the entire time sprung to life at the sight of his friend taking the initiative. He slammed his fist squarely into Ryu's stomach. Ryu could only let out a slight gurgle as his airway was being blocked by the pressure being applied to the back of his head. All Ryu could do was try and shut out the pain of the blow as he worked to keep the arm of the man behind him from squeezing any harder and fully blocking the flow of blood to his head.

As the Shadaloo goon reared back for another punch a bolt of energy enveloped him. The blast of condensed spiritual power hit the Shadaloo agent in the back of the shoulders with the force of a physical blow. The impact created a flash that caused everyone, including the man holding Ryu, to wince at the shock wave and the brief, blinding light.

Ryu felt a rush of life return to his body as the distracted Shadaloo agent let the choke hold loosen. An elbow thrown back into the ribs of his assailant was enough to fully break the grab. Spinning away from his opponent Ryu brought his other arm up and landed a punch squarely in the face of his attacker. Ryu didn't manage to get as much power in the hit as he would have liked but it was enough to drive his opponent back for the moment. That brief opening let Ryu shift his focus back to where he thought the main threat would come from.

Turning back to the table, Ryu dropped into a ready stance and waited, uncertain of the scene before him. The Shadaloo agent who had been punching him from the front was now crumpled to his knees from the attack that had blindsided him. A row of plastic plants that had been decorating the dining room had been torn apart by the fireball that had ended the skirmish. Shredded hunks of plastic leaves fluttering through the air were the only things moving in the now silent restaurant. Towering over the scene was Sagat, his arms still partially outstretched from the blast of chi he had thrown.

"This was going to be a match between two worthy fighters, not another one of Shadaloo's underhanded dealings," Sagat said.

As quickly as it had started the tension in the air passed. Ryu forced himself to relax and not bring the situation back to a head again.

"My companions will pay for the meal and the damage to the restaurant." The Shadaloo agents, including those who had been on the receiving end of Ryu and Sagat's blows, looked stunned at the news but were too cowed to offer any protests. "You do not need to wait while this situation is being dealt with."

Sagat didn't directly tell Ryu to leave while he still could but the implication was clear. But no matter how it was phrased it was a chance for everyone to leave without more fighting so Ryu was happy to accept the offer. Still, he couldn't help himself but to leave with a parting comment.

"In spite of everything you do behave like a true champion, Sagat."

The single, great eye of Sagat bore directly into Ryu. He calmly returned the gaze. Ryu knew that if Sagat sensed any hesitation or sarcasm in his response the Muai Thai fighter would tear into him. Seeing that Ryu was sincere, Sagat nodded slightly.

"I'll see you in the ring," Sagat said, a grin spreading across his face.

"I'm looking forward to it."

As Ryu walked past the still nervous hostess he realized that his final exchange with Sagat could easily have sounded like another invitation to fight. Although he could have phrased it in a more neutral manner Ryu had been genuinely trying to pay Sagat a compliment. He didn't even feel any real animosity towards Sagat; although they would probably never be friends the intense nature of their rivalry had cooled considerably over the years. They almost came to blows not because they hated each other but because they both so enjoyed competition and combat that they had become caught up in the moment and nearly let themselves tear into each other for the sheer joy of it.

Even Ryu's questions of Sagat's involvement with Shadaloo had been more to confirm his guesses than to insult him. Besides, who was Ryu to question someone's path in life? The ansatsuken style of martial arts that he primarily practiced was largely built on deadly power. Trying to find a balance between strength and compassion, to find harmony between the yin and the yang, was something Ryu continued to struggle with. Although he didn't agree with Sagat's time with Shadaloo he understood the urge to try and gain knowledge from the most unlikely of sources.

Not only did he and Sagat try to find peace through the paradox of violence, they both truly loved what they did. The intense, never-ending training, the pain of injuries, the constant self-sacrifice... all that was worth it for those few moments of competition. During that time when he pitted everything against an opponent Ryu felt truly alive. The thought that he would soon get to challenge someone as strong as Sagat thrilled him.

Outside of the restaurant the sun now felt revitalizing and the heat made his blood race. Even after all these years the thought of new challenges invigorated Ryu. It was as simple as Sagat's explanation; Ryu liked the fight and everything that came with it. It was going to be a good day and an even better tournament.


End file.
